The invention pertains to a device for controlling a graphical display, and in particular to a handheld device.
Since the widespread adoption of computers, the mouse has been commonly used to control computer displays. Most commonly, the mouse includes a ball largely encased in a housing, a small portion of the ball projecting through an opening at the bottom of the housing. A user typically translates the mouse across a mouse pad causing the ball to rotate, thus registering the direction and distance through which the mouse is translated. The mouse is capable of processing this information and providing corresponding input to the display, for example by causing a cursor to move from a first location to a selected second location on the display. A typical mouse also has at least one control button allowing the user to perform a variety of functions. Variations of the technology for the mouse have been developed. For example, in certain laptop computers the ball is embedded at a specific location on a keyboard and rotated by the user""s finger. The mechanical mouse has the disadvantage that sometimes, such as when the mouse mechanism needs to be cleaned, the cursor does not respond in the expected fashion and it can therefore be awkward to use.
More recently, an optical mouse has been developed. This uses an optical detector system instead of a ball, which eliminates the use of a mechanical feature with its inherent disadvantages. Through an opening in the bottom, the optical mouse can detect the translation of the mouse across a surface in a way that mimics its predecessor. Earlier versions of the optical mouse required a specially marked surface, with features that could be easily detected. More recent versions of the optical mouse can be used on a wide variety of surfaces including regular mouse pads, the only requirement being that the surface should have features distinguishable by the detector. In practice all except quite highly polished surfaces can be distinguished. The optical mouse has spacers on the bottom to separate its main housing from the mouse pad or equivalent surface. For practical reasons, the optics of the optical mouse are focused at a plane below the bottom of the mouse, and the spacers compensate for this. Also, the spacers are made of a smooth material such as Teflon, in order to reduce the friction between the mouse and the mouse pad. In fact, spacers are also used on the mechanical mouse in order to stabilize the mouse on the mouse pad and to reduce friction.
To date, both the mechanical mouse and the optical mouse have required a dedicated surface on which to move. Such a surface typically requires desktop space beyond that taken up by an associated computer. Alternatively, more compact devices include a joystick and a tracking ball. Absent other means of control, a keyboard can also be used to perform the same functions, albeit not as conveniently. While with the joystick the movement of the stick can be compared to the translation of the mouse, it is often considered less convenient. The tracking ball has been incorporated directly into devices such as laptop computers. This has the advantage of saving space but shares the same disadvantage as the mechanical mouse.
Therefore, there is a need for a controller that combines the advantages of the mouse while avoiding its disadvantages.
There is further a need for a controller that is free standing, readily portable, and able to communicate with a variety of personal communication devices.
There is still a further need for a controller which is operable even when there is no fixed surface available for its operation.
There is yet a further need for a controller which can be built into a variety of personal communication devices and provide the user with a convenient way of controlling such devices.
The invention is a controller based on the principles of the optical mouse. However, instead of the controller being translated over a surface, an input article is translated over the controller. More particularly, a user""s finger or thumb is translated over a window of the controller. This allows the invention to have a variety of configurations. The window is located at a window aperture of a movable push plate, which when depressed by the user at an appropriate location actuates a corresponding switch, which for example allows the user to select an item on the display or to scroll the display.
The controller can be free-standing and used with a selected Personal Communications Device (PCD). Such a PCD could be a Personal Internet Browser (PIB) or a Personal Digital Assistant. The controller could communicate with the PCD either through a wired connection or by a wireless connection. In the context of this application, a wired connection is understood to include a fiber optic connection.
Further, the controller could be incorporated, for example, into the housing of a PCD or a portable computer. It could further be combined into the housing of a keyboard or a joystick. Again, the controller would be operated with the finger or thumb.